Good marriages need ‘mawadda’ or love plus more. The word comes from ‘wud’ meaning deep love. Without this essential component, a marriage is a union in which the partners tolerate each other at best and hate each at worst. You can’t live with anyone you hate. If hatred controls a marriage, it creates a generation of hatred. Hearts full of hatred are likely to be trouble makers and criminals. By contrast, where there is love, there is mercy.
7 Tips for a Successful Marriage Unlike other relationships which we are born into, we make a choice and a commitment in marriage and need to work at it to create love, peace and security. How can a couple improve this within their marriage? Here are 7 tips to improve this sacred relationship. 1. Understanding…
Cornering the Cat – Why Allah Forbid Oppression Oh my servants, I have made oppression forbidden on myself and made it forbidden amongst you so do not oppress one another. (Bukhari) This is one of the fundamental rules and pillars in Islam – the prohibition of oppression (dhulm). There are different types of dhulm. The…
Choosing Your Words Wisely Tell my servants to say what is best. (17:53) And say to the people what is good.(2:83) The Prophet (peace be on him) said: Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day let him say something good or let him be silent. (Bukhari) There are so many narrations which are about…
Ijtihad (reasoning) and Taqleed (imitation) Do I need to follow a madhab? Who is qualified to make Ijihad? What essential knowledge does a mujtahid need? Definition While Ijtihad is the process of systematic legal reasoning carried out only by mujtahids (those trained in ijtihad), taqleed is to follow a certain school, or scholar or opinion. The…
The Differences among the Fuqaha In particular we are focusing on the scientific differences among the fuqaha (jurists) and why we have more than one opinion. The main difference is linguistic difference. The second one is evidences and the third is in understanding. When we look at linguistic differences, it becomes clear quite quickly that…
The Origins of the Fiqh Schools Fiqh at the Time of the Prophet (peace be on him) During the lifetime of the Prophet (peace be on him) how was fiqh decided? If someone needed a ruling on a case what did the Prophet (peace be on him) himself do? The first thing the Prophet (peace be on…
Why Scholars Differ This was the first course I delivered in the UK in 2001, but it is as relevant today as it was then, if not more. I used to deliver this course over three months at shariah college, so here I am going to condense it and give you an overview. Why do…
Debts – The Nitty Gritty How is it is relevant to us today? Why did Allah Almighty reveal the longest ayah of the Qur’an about debt? Simply, money concerns us all. All our dealings have financial repercussions. Ayat ul dain (2:282), the longest ayah of the longest surah of the Qur’an relates to debts and contracts. ‘Dain’…
THE LOW DOWN ON BORROWING AND LENDING What Everyone Should Know A loan is a loss on paper. The lender has no access to that money until it is repaid. Yet there are times when we need to borrow and others when we are in a position to lend. In fact, the Prophet (peace…
Du’a is an act of worship that draws us closer to Allah Almighty. In making du’a, the supplicant acknowledges their complete dependence on and need for the One who created, nurtures, and sustains them—and to whom they will ultimately and inevitably return. Since our needs are infinite and endless, one of the best ways to…
How to Increase the Chances of Your Du’a Being Answered Thereupon, Zakariyya prayed to his Lord. He said: ‘O my Lord, grant me from Your own (power) a goodly progeny. Verily, You are the One who listens to the prayer.’ So then, when he stood praying in the place of worship, the angels called out…
Who are the Closest to Allah? Gifts from the Unseen to those Allah Loves So, her Lord accepted her, a good acceptance, and made her grow, a good growth, and made Zakariyya her guardian. Whenever Zakariyya visited her at the place of worship, he found food with her. 10 He said: ‘Maryam, from…
The Mistake Hunters What do you focus on when you attend a gathering? What do you remember when you left? Was it the mistakes of the speakers? The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him said): Seeking knowledge is incumbent on every Muslim. (Ibn Majah) The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said: ‘The…
Managing Wealth How much do we actually need? How much do we waste and how much do we save? A prudent person should cover their basic needs, spend and lend and then invest in our future generations. Bill Gates is a modern example of generosity and philanthropy. Within our Islamic history we have the instructive…